Access Policy Statement
The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections is the home to the University of Toledo Archives, Manuscripts Collections that document the individuals, businesses, and organizations of Toledo and Northwest Ohio, and a robust rare books collection of over 30,000 titles. The Center is open to all researchers and is committed to providing open and equal access to primary sources of research and historical value without discrimination or preferential treatment as far as possible within the limits of privacy, confidentiality, preservation, and institutional policies.
Manuscripts Collections
It is always the Center’s goal to secure the greatest access possible.
However, due to the need to balance access and confidentiality in records, there may be restrictions placed on manuscripts materials. Often this is stipulated in the terms of the gift agreement governing the donation of the material, as it is up to the donor’s discretion as to whether or not their donation contains confidential information that should be restricted from public access.
In addition, since most collections are processed at the folder level, which makes it difficult to identify and remove individual sensitive records, if the subject matter of a collection indicates that much of the material contained therein will be sensitive, the Center will restrict the entire collection.
Other cases of limited access to manuscripts collections include materials that are too fragile to withstand handling and unprocessed collections. Unprocessed collections are those that still need to be organized and described to ensure ease of use. The Center’s archivists strive to process collections as quickly after receipt as possible.
University Archives
The University of Toledo Archives is committed to preserving university records and strives to make them available for research as soon as possible after receipt. However, the Archives has a legal and/or institutional obligation to restrict some collections or parts of collections. The Archives will inform researchers of the terms of access.
The University of Toledo is a public institution and as such the records produced by the University are governed by the State of Ohio’s Public Records Act, section 149.43 of the Ohio Revised Code, which is designed to provide open access to public records. However, there are exceptions to the law, and University offices may specify whether or not the records that fall under those exceptions can be used freely or restricted in their use. The Archives will refer requests for access to restricted records to the relevant University office.
Categories of restricted University records may include, but are not limited to:
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- Medical records
- Trial preparation records
- Confidential Law Enforcement Investigatory Records
- Intellectual property records (specifically those produced or collected by university faculty or staff in relation to studies/research not yet published, publicly released, or patented)
- Donor profile records (specifically information other than names, reported addresses, and date, amount, and condition of donation)
- Trade secrets of certain county and municipal hospitals
- Records the release of which is prohibited by state or federal law
- Proprietary information of or relating to any person that is submitted to or compiled by the Ohio Venture Capital Authority
- Records and information relating to foster caregivers and children housed in foster care, as well as children enrolled in licensed, certified, or registered child care centers
- Personally Identifiable Information (PII), such as Social Security numbers
- Taxpayer records
- Student records protected by the Family Educational Records Protection Act (FERPA)
- Public Safety and Public Office Security Records, such as Infrastructure and Security Records
- Records related to litigation:
- Attorney-Client Privilege
- Criminal Discovery
- Civil Discovery
- Settlement agreements and other contracts
- Intellectual Property
- Trade Secrets
- Copyright (only prevents unauthorized copying, not inspection)
- Employee Records
- Non-Records, which are usually maintained for administrative convenience and not to document the formal activities of the office (i.e. home addresses, insurance beneficiaries, cell phone numbers, etc.)
- Resume and application materials are restricted until personally identifiable information is redacted
- Criminal history/rap sheets
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) records
- Records that fall under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and FERPA
In some cases, despite the efforts of staff to redact or restrict such material, researchers may encounter records of a sensitive nature, such as personnel files, case records and those involving investigations, legal, and other private matters. Privacy laws and restrictions imposed by the Archives prohibit the use of names and other personal information which might identify an individual, except with written permission from an authorized representative of the Canaday Center and/or the donor/originating office.
Also, please note that unprocessed archives and manuscript collections are generally open for research, provided they do not contain restricted files. However, the Archives may need to delay access for a reasonable time to inventory the records or to take steps to preserve fragile materials.
Intellectual Access
The Canaday Center facilitates access to its holdings by informing researchers of their existence. This is accomplished through catalog entries, online and print finding aids and inventories, public exhibits, use of social media, and staff assistance.
Physical Access
Physical access to materials can be obtained by visiting the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections on the fifth floor of the Carlson Library, located in the middle of the University of Toledo’s main campus. Users will be able to view materials in our quiet and comfortable Reading Room.
In addition, some records that have been digitized or are born digital and are clear of copyright may be available on our University of Toledo Digital Repository for remote access.
For more information regarding the accessibility of Carlson Library, visit the Universities Libraries Accessibility page.